The Superior Court of California, County of Sutter 446 Second Street, Yuba City, CA 95991 Invites Applications for Supervising Family Court Mediator (2-14) Application Deadline: 4:00 p.m. Wednesday August 13, 2014 Monthly Salary: $5101 to $6241 THE POSITION Under limited direction, the Supervising Family Court Mediator/Investigator mediates child custody and visitation disputes; investigates complex cases involving child custody disagreements, step-parent adoptions, probate conservatorships and probate guardianships; provides a variety of court reports and recommendations; supervises and prioritizes the work of lower level Family Court Mediators, Court Investigators and support staff; and oversees the development and implementation of a variety of court programs to assist families. This position reports directly to the Court Executive Officer. HOW TO APPLY Applicants are required to submit the following no later than 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 13, 2014: 1. A thoroughly completed and signed court application form 2. A résumé 3. The supplemental application (page five of this announcement) Résumés in lieu of the application form will not be accepted. Documents received after the closing date will not be considered. Application available on the web at www.suttercourts.com or Courthouse West, 446 Second Street, Yuba City or call Human Resources (530) 822-3302. Examples of Essential Duties/functions: Performs the duties of a Family Court Services Mediator. Performs the duties of a Court Investigator Plan, organize, assign, direct and review the work of Family Court Services Mediators and Court Investigators Participates in the selection of staff, appraise employee performance, conduct counseling on performance issues, recommend and administer discipline to staff Provides effective leadership for staff in performance of mediation and investigation assignments Prepares policies and procedures related to the work of the unit. Maintains workload and caseload data and compile reports Reviews legislation related to Family Court Services and Probate Court Investigations and makes recommendations for implementation Coordinates the development and presentation of relevant educational programs Attends professional conferences and workshops Meets regularly with Family Court and Probate judges to ensure the needs of the court are being met
Page 2 Attends and participates in professional group meetings Coordinates activities with community organizations, school authorities, therapists, State and local organizations, and other outside agencies Reviews staff reports, as needed, for compliance with mandates and local policy Coordinates staff development THE IDEAL CANDIATE WILL: Have Knowledge of: Principles and techniques of effective leadership, supervision, training and employee development; personnel administration practices; knowledge of the court system of California and the procedures used in family law, guardianship, and conservatorship cases; California Family and Probate Code, and other California codes pertaining to family and probate matters; legal and medical terminology; resources in the community for client referral and assistance; adult psychopathology and the psychology of families; child development, child abuse and clinical issues relating to children; effects of divorce and domestic violence on children; child custody research sufficient to enable a counselor to assess the mental and physical needs of children, the elderly and disabled; principles and techniques of counseling; clinical interviewing and mediation techniques; practices and techniques of psychological assessments; family systems theory; problem-solving and conflict resolution methods and techniques; crisis intervention methods and techniques; domestic violence and substance abuse issues; cultural diversity issues; correct English usage, punctuation, spelling and grammar; personal computers and word processing software. Have the Ability to: Provide lead supervision and training to assigned staff; interview a variety of individuals including children, parents, teachers, therapists, the elderly, developmentally disabled in homes, schools, hospitals, institutions and other locations; obtain, interpret and evaluate information regarding family behavior from various sources; communicate emphatically, neutrally and clearly with clients under stressful situations; use communication, listening and problem solving skills to assist culturally diverse parties in accepting or finding solutions; recognize dysfunctional interaction patterns; prepare clear and concise written reports; determine pertinent aspects of cases and recommend useful interventions; exercise sound judgment in making recommendations to parties; exercise sensitivity toward cultural issues; effectively manage situations where clients may be angry, upset, fearful or hostile; remain calm and exercise patience in working with parties under stressful situations; maintain flexibility in managing an unpredictable workday; meet established deadlines in a timely manner; use manuals, codes or written guides as applicable; establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, attorneys, judges, the public and other professionals; operate modern office equipment and personal computers and use specified computer applications, including word processing and spreadsheets as applicable. Required Education and Experience: Requires a Master s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in psychology, social work, marriage-family-child counseling, and behavioral science substantially related to marriage and family interpersonal relationships. AND Two years experience in counseling or psychotherapy, or both, preferably in a setting related to the areas of responsibility of the family conciliation court and with the ethnic population to be served. Supervisory experience preferred. Additional education may be substituted for a portion of the experience required.
Page 3 License or Certificate: Possession of a valid California license in Clinical Social Work (LCSW) or Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) or Psychology is highly desirable. May be required to possess or obtain by appointment date a valid California operator s license issued by the State Department of Motor Vehicles. Will be required to undergo a criminal background investigation and medical examination. Environmental and Functional Factors: Incumbents will perform work inside of buildings; work in a controlled environmental facility; work alone or closely with others; and while performing field work may be exposed to uncontrolled environmental conditions as well as uncontrolled cultural situations for which they must preplan their level of risk and exposure before making personal contact; perform work while standing or sitting; must be able to communicate verbally with co-workers and other individuals; use fingers on both hands; be able to hear well; must be able to see clearly and up close; position may require the incumbent to stand or walk part of the time with minimal bending, stooping, squatting, twisting, reaching, or working on irregular surfaces; may require light physical effort which includes infrequent lifting of up to ten pounds and occasional lifting of up to twenty-five pounds. Selection Procedure Application packets will be reviewed for minimum qualifications. Applications that contain documentation that the job applicant meets the minimum requirements may be referred to a screening committee. Candidates with the most directly related experience, education, and training may be invited to a written, performance and/or oral exam. Investigation of employment history and references may be conducted prior to offer of employment. The information provided in this job announcement is general in nature and does not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Salary and Benefits Salary: Salary range consists of five steps with approximately a five percent difference between each step. Annual performance reviews are conducted which may advance the employee through the steps. Vacation: This position provides 11(eleven) days vacation per year. Vacation accrual is scheduled to increase with each additional five years of service up to a maximum of 20 (twenty) days per year. Holidays: Thirteen paid holidays each year. Sick Leave: Sick leave accrues at the rate of 12 (twelve) days per year for full time employees. Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance: The court pays the major portion of health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and eligible dependents. Life Insurance: Term life insurance is provided for employees and eligible dependents and paid for by the court. Retirement: The court provides a defined benefit retirement plan through California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS). Deferred Compensation: The court offers a deferred compensation plan for employees who wish to participate through payroll deduction. Employee benefits may vary with different employee bargaining units. Recruitment Process Submit a completed court application, supplemental application and other documents as indicated in the TO APPLY section above, by the date and time indicated. Applying for certain positions may require that you participate in written exams and oral interviews. Please notify Court Human Resources prior to the final filing date of this recruitment if you believe you have a disability that would make it difficult to participate in any portion of the recruitment process, and would require reasonable accommodation. The court reserves the right to require medical documentation concerning the need for reasonable accommodation.
Page 4 Pre-Employment Policies Offers of employment are contingent upon submission of documents verifying identity and authorization to work in the United States in accordance with the Immigration Reform and Naturalization Control Act of 1986; successful completion of pre-employment medical review/examination, and alcohol and drug screening, background and reference check; satisfactory driving record and proof of automobile insurance (if applicable to the job), and other requirements of the position (licensing, certification, etc.). Employees who are authorized to and use their car during the course of conducting court business and who, subsequent to their hiring, incur significant moving violations or lack of insurance may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. THE SUTTER SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND ENCOURAGES APPLICATIONS FROM ALL PERSONS REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR, SEX, RELIGION, AGE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, ANCESTRY, PHYSICAL, OR MENTAL DISABILITY, MEDICAL CONDITION OR MARITAL STATUS. IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AND CALIFORNIA LAW, THE COURT WILL ENGAGE IN AN INTERACTIVE PROCESS TO PROVIDE REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION TO QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. IF YOU REQUIRE AN ACCOMMODATION, PLEASE NOTIFY HUMAN RESOURCES, (530) 822-3302.
Page 5 Supervising Family Court Mediator Supplemental Application This supplemental application, the regular court application and other required documents will be the basis for a competitive evaluation of qualifications. A résumé will not substitute for the responses to this application. On a separate sheet(s) of paper, please type or print your responses to the items listed below. Be concise and specific. Please print your name, sign and date EACH page. 1. Describe any training and/or experience you have had in mediation or another alternative dispute resolution modality. What skills or techniques do you feel are most helpful in this field? 2. Describe how you have adjusted your communication skills to effectively communicate with persons of various educational, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. 3. Describe any report writing that you have done which may be related to this position. (You may submit a sample of a report you ve done with names deleted to preserve confidentiality) 4. Describe a stressful or emotional situation of a person(s) which required the use of patience, tact, courtesy and self-restraint for you to resolve. Include in your response the strategy you developed to effectively deal with the situation. 5. Briefly outline a casework problem you resolved which demonstrates your skill to define problems, collect information, organize and analyze materials, draw valid conclusions and formulate a recommendation/treatment plan. 6. Describe any experience you have in training, coaching and mentoring staff; evaluating employees and writing or giving input to performance appraisals; assisting with/or recommending action with respect to hiring or disciplining employees. Include start and end dates of any formal time as a supervisor/manager and the number of people supervised and their job titles.